


Lean On Me When You're Not Strong

by missamericas



Category: Young Avengers
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-24
Updated: 2014-10-24
Packaged: 2018-02-22 11:29:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2506184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missamericas/pseuds/missamericas
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The only person that was ever around for Tommy Shepherd; was Tommy Shepherd. Now that he has a twin brother, - though totally geeky at times - and some new friends, he has to learn a lot of things. Like what it meant to have someone care about you.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lean On Me When You're Not Strong

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by [this](http://hawkettez.tumblr.com/post/100735431543/aroharveyspecter-aroharveyspecter-talk-2-me) post I saw on Tumblr the other night.

Being who he was, Tommy got used to the idea of caring for himself. After his parents proved that he wasn't someone worth wanting, or fighting for, he gave up on the humanity of people. Which only got worse when he began to be probed and tested on. Mutant or Non-Mutant, no one seemed to give a shit about him, and that was fine. Tommy Shepherd gave a shit about himself, and that's all that mattered.

When he was rescued by the Young Avengers, he wasn't quite sure what to make of it. He was surprised they were even there for him. For Tommy Shepherd, the kid that blew up his school, the kid that was an abomination. That was curiosity of his father, who didn't even try to love him. His mother did though, but that was soon replaced by the hatred he felt for her. She let those men in black suits take him away, _drag_ him away from his home. At first he didn't think she knew, but the longer he stayed in captivity, the longer he thought about it. She didn't look scared, she looked relieved. That she would finally have a normal life without having the troublesome mutant son she had.

Tommy Shepherd had every right to hate the world, to want to watch the flames engulf it and its hatred. He knew he did, but deep down, under all the pain, behind all the walls; he didn't want that. He just wanted to prove to someone that he wasn't a lost cause, because he wasn't. He just got the short end of the stick.

The Young Avengers didn't think that about him, at first they were skeptical. Granted he did blow up his school. But they learned soon enough that Tommy wasn't as much as a sociopath as he lead himself to be. It seemed Billy knew that from the start though, he was the key reason why the rest of them team accepted him more than they already did. Billy had opened their eyes to the type of person Tommy was, not that he ever told Billy anything. This whole soul-twin thing was freaking him out to be honest. They looked exactly a like, despite their hair and eye colour.

It took some time for Tommy himself to accept it, after Billy drilled it into his head. Why was he soon keen to have a twin, didn't he already have two brothers with his Hallmark family back home? The moment Tommy first called Billy his brother out loud, everything changed.

They were on a mission, some super villain most them haven't even heard of, was plotting to take over the world. How original. It started out fine, easy. The guy wasn't much of a 'super villain', just another nut job with powers that hated the world. Sometimes Tommy couldn't blame them, but that was just his past echoing in the back of his mind. He was a superhero, he believed in justice, and all of that shit.

The mission was supposed to be quick and easy, but things got complicated when Billy had gotten hurt. His body limp in Teddy's arms. Still in his Hulking form, his brother looked even smaller compared to his shapeshifting boyfriend. Tommy could feel the anger boiling inside of him, he was going to make this idiot pay for hurting his brother.

"Isheokay?What'swrong?Isitserious?" The white haired twin spewed his questions out. Looking from everyone in the team, though he knew Teddy was the only one who would probably know.

"I'm fine Tommy."

"Bill-"

"I promise." The two of them connected eyes, and Tommy felt something. He wasn't sure what it was, but it was something. Was it fear? Worry? He wasn't sure. All he knew was that someone hurt his little brother, and they weren't going to get away with it.

In a second, he was gone, dust flying into the air as the team coughed. Confused as to where their speedster was going. Tommy would be back, he just had something to deal with first. His super powered legs carried him the person responsible for Billy's pain.

He didn't even let the other guy talk before Tommy was going at him. He managed to get a few punches in, but Tommy is the one who caused more damage. The rage he felt was similar to how he felt over all those years, all these emotions flowing through his body. He wasn't sure he could stop. But this time it was different, the anger wasn't about him. It was about Billy.

Not too long after, Tommy appeared in front of the team again, dropping the body on the ground. They all looked at him with wide eyes.

"You should see the other guy." The corner of his mouth twitched up. He looked pretty battered up, but he was fine. He had been too fast to get seriously hurt. "No one messes with my brother and gets away with it."

***

_How're you?_

_**Fine?** _

_Where are you?_

_**What is this, twenty questions? What do you want Billy.** _

_Just wanted to make sure you were okay._

Tommy stared at the text message from his brother with confusion. No one had ever wondered where he was, or checked up on him. Outside of missions that is. But here he was, gawking at his phone like it had a mutation of his own.

_**I'm fine.** _

He was, he had been running around, clearing his head. With not much for the team to do, he had no real obligation to stay in New York when he wasn't needed. A little trip now and again couldn't hurt. It was nice actually, to be somewhere else for a bit.

His phone vibrated in his hand again, this time Tommy was taken aback by Billy's reply.

_I miss you._

Leave it to his not-really-but-really-twin brother to make him miss New York. Running his hands through his hair, he shook his head and quickly replied before he changed his mind.

**_Old warehouse in ten if you want to see me._ **

They'd see each other, catch up, and Tommy would be on his away again. Until Billy decided he wanted to blind side him with unfamiliar feelings again.

It didn't take long for Tommy to make it back to New York, he was lounging on the couch Kate had brought from her home. Something about her father buying her a new couch for a room or whatever. Tommy wasn't really listening to what she was saying, more the way her mouth moved.

That girl was going to be the death of him, he was sure. As far as unfamiliar feelings went, there was a lot of them. For his relationship with his brother. His attraction to Kate, that went farther than wanting to get in her pants. She was actually kind of awesome, and a badass for not having any super powers or being a mutant. She kept up with the rest of them, and to him that made her pretty fuckin' amazing.

Soon enough Billy was walking in, a smile on his face that somehow made Tommy feel like he was missed. It wasn't that Billy was lying, it was that Tommy wasn't used to being missed. People didn't miss him, people didn't want him around. People always wanted to get rid of him so they wouldn't have to deal with him anymore. But Billy was showing him that things can change.

Billy was happy to see his older brother. Tommy wouldn't stop saying he was older, Billy just stopped fighting it. Tommy always acted older anyways, and besides; it was a change for Billy. He wasn't the only older brother anymore. He had Tommy.

While happy, Billy was also worried. Before their texts, Billy hadn't heard from Tommy at all. Which wasn't surprising, Tommy sometimes went off on his own, didn't contact anyone unless he needed to. It didn't really _bother_ Billy all that much, he just grew worried. He knew Tommy could take care of himself, but was it a crime to check up on his twin?

They talked for a bit, catching up on everything that had been going on. Billy talked about Kate and Eli breaking up again. But he was for certain it was for real this time. But things seemed to be okay now, the two of them were friends and supportive of the other dating new people. He even mentioned his own relationship with Teddy, keeping the details PG for his brothers sake.

Tommy told him about all the places he visited. Going over seas first. Italy, France, even Africa. Before he came back to the states and wounded up in New Jersey. The home of his parents.

"How'd that go?" Billy asked. Tommy never really talked about his parents. But if Billy was taken away to some place where people were trying to turn him into a living weapon, he wouldn't talk about it much either.

Tommy shrugged his shoulders looking away. He still wasn't sure what to make of it. He saw his mother with someone new. His parents split pretty early on in his life. Whoever this man was with his mother, he didn't look like the sorry excuse for a man that his father had been. They had some kid, a small girl. She was normal from the looks of it. His mother was happy. With a new life. A life without him in it.

It wasn't like he expected her to miss him, she didn't give a shit when he was being dragged away to that God forsaken place many years ago. But he didn't expect her to have a new life, a life that he couldn't give her all because of who he was.

The thoughts rolled around in Tommy's head again. What was it about him that made people see him as trash? Did he not try hard enough? Was he just not good enough?

He pushed himself off the couch, he needed to walk around he wasn't going to let these thoughts eat at him again. He had come way too far to let that part of his life rule him now. He was over it. They didn't want him, and he didn't want them. He was better off without them. He knew he was.

Tommy was fast, but for some reason, Billy was faster this time. Billy grabbed his brothers arm as he tried to walk away. Tommy whipping his head around and looked at Billy's fingers wrapped around Tommy's arm. He was waiting for it. The yelling. Why wasn't he around. Where he was doing. He was fully ready to be chastised for getting away.

"Are you okay?" Billy's eyes looked at Tommy's. Who was shocked to say the least.

All the thoughts about his past had come to a stop. He couldn't compute being asked if he was okay. Not many people asked that in his lifetime. It took sometime before Tommy even answered, standing there with Billy's hand around his arm, holding him in place. He blinked many times before a word even came from his lips.

"No."

***

  
Being sick sucked. Having your powers fucked with because you were sick sucked. Normally, Tommy was running faster than everyone else. He had his own pace, but right now being riddled with this common cold. His world was slower. But really he was just at the speed that everyone else was at. And it fucking _sucked._

He laid on the couch with a blanket wrapped around him. It was fleece and purple, and Kate brought it over. He wasn't going to admit how soft it was, how it made him feel slightly better. He wasn't going to admit that it smelled exactly like Kate and he loved the way she smelled. And he was for sure, not going to admit that he was excited when Kate told him she'd be back after her workout. So while being sick actually sucked, he had something to look forward too.

Tommy was flipping through the TV channels in the warehouse when Billy and Teddy showed up. The both of them coming from school with bags in their hands. Tommy pushed himself up on his elbows, raising his eyebrows up at the couple.

"What's with the bags?" He asked, naturally curious.

"Soup, for you." Teddy smiled. Pushing his brows together, Tommy looked at Billy for confirmation. Why did they bring him soup? He could've gotten it himself.

"Why?"

"You're sick idiot." Billy said before pulling the bowl of soup out of the brown paper bag. Grabbing the plastic soup spoon and bringing it over to his brother.

Tommy wasn't sure what the hell was going on. He never had people bring him things. Kate's blanket didn't bother him that much because he liked her. Even saying that made him want to barf. These people were ruining him.

"I could've gotten soup myself."

"You're sick." Billy repeated, raising his own eyebrow at his brother on the couch. Why did he do this? Getting soup himself wasn't that hard to do. Even if the world was mind numbing slower than Tommy was used to. "I thought it'd be nice? My mom always brought me soup when I was sick. Plus it's from the noodle place you like around the corner."

Tommy looked at the packaging of his soup, and indeed it was from the place that he spend most of his money. When he was spending it on food that is. Billy, his brother, went out and got soup for him. And not just soup from anywhere, soup from his favourite place.

These people were ruining him, and this time Tommy didn't find himself minding.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed! Come hang out with me on tumblr if you'd like! @hawkettez


End file.
